Website Maintenance

[tsptalk]

Website Maintenance this Weekend

I am going to take the opportunity during this three day weekend to do some upgrading to the TSP Talk servers.

I will be moving the AutoTracker, and possibly the Message Board databases, onto their own servers.

Right now the AutoTracker is a processor hog and when we update it each evening, or when several members are viewing the standings at once, it can slow down the entire website.

The message board can also get bogged down during busy periods.

So, the website, and in particular the AutoTracker, could be down for several hours or longer this weekend as we implement the new 2010 database and add a server. If you have any "can't wait" transaction to make, simply send me a PM and I will take care of it manually.

Your patience is appreciated if you experience any down times this weekend.

Thanks,
Tom

[JTH]

Good idea Tom. I hope you won't be drinking during this process! But don't worry because I will. :D

The tracker has been dead slow and the Returns analysis has been super duper slow. I sure hope this works out "knock on wood" your braver than me :toung:

[tsptalk]

Unfortunately, it may still be slow - I think the programming may need tweaked - but it shouldn't slow down the whole site, in theory.

[nnuut]

More Cubic Inches always helps. I noticed it today had to close the Tracker twice, never loaded the whole list, I happen to be really close to the bottom. A sign of the times, more Members is GOOD!! :D

[Boghie]

Tom,

I don't think my skill set directly connects to your programming and database requirements, but I might be able to offer assistance.

I have, and am skilled with:

Microsoft SQL Server 2005
Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 (C#, JavaScript)
and, the Infragistics NetAdvantage toolkit

I see you are using PHP so the above probably does not help much. Offer still stands.

[CountryBoy]

Tom,

I'm skilled at Fortran, the Latin of programming languages. Geez, I think I just dated myself. :nuts: I appreciate all that you guys do. Have a Happy New Year. :D

CB

[JTH]

I happen to be really close to the bottom.

Ha, that's my biggest problem, I'm so far down the tracker I have to wait forever for the page to load. :cheesy:

[tsptalk]

Tom,

I don't think my skill set directly connects to your programming and database requirements, but I might be able to offer assistance.

I have, and am skilled with:

Microsoft SQL Server 2005
Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 (C#, JavaScript)
and, the Infragistics NetAdvantage toolkit

I see you are using PHP so the above probably does not help much. Offer still stands.

Thanks Boghie! I'll keep you in mind.

[Boghie]

Tom,

I'm skilled at Fortran, the Latin of programming languages. Geez, I think I just dated myself. :nuts: I appreciate all that you guys do. Have a Happy New Year. :D

CB

Too funny,

I took FORTRAN in College for an accounting class. Took COBOL to enhance my work skills. Took PASCAL and C++ (back then 'C With Objects') from the chaps that invented them. Anyone remember LISP, dBASE, QuickSilver, Clipper. Programmed in Basic for the Radio Shack TRS-80 Model 3 with a cassette tape and three floppies. How about 8 in. floppies and Assembler. Uuugggghhhhhh...

Older than the dirt I stand on...

At least in the computer world...:p

[tsptalk]

Tom,

I'm skilled at Fortran, the Latin of programming languages. Geez, I think I just dated myself. :nuts: I appreciate all that you guys do. Have a Happy New Year. :D

CB
Thanks CB! Do you still remember how to use punch cards? My system is a little old. :D

[CountryBoy]

Thanks CB! Do you still remember how to use punch cards? My system is a little old. :D

Yeah Tom,

I gotcha covered on the punch cards. :D

CB

[CountryBoy]

Anyone remember LISP, dBASE, QuickSilver, Clipper. Programmed in Basic for the Radio Shack TRS-80 Model 3 with a cassette tape and three floppies. How about 8 in. floppies and Assembler. Uuugggghhhhhh...

Older than the dirt I stand on...

At least in the computer world...:p

Ah yes the good old days. :laugh:

CB

[wv-girl]

Ah yes the good old days. :laugh:

CB
Wow. Thanks, guys, for the walk down memory lane. It seems a lifetime ago. Glad to know there are others that remember how it all got started. It take us 'oldies' to really appreciate what the kids take for granted these days.

Happy New Year!
:)

[phil]

I remember Clipper fondly. I'm an old guy, run Linux now. But I remember having to program Fortran (MNF) using the punchcards. Eww.


Too funny,

I took FORTRAN in College for an accounting class. Took COBOL to enhance my work skills. Took PASCAL and C++ (back then 'C With Objects') from the chaps that invented them. Anyone remember LISP, dBASE, QuickSilver, Clipper. Programmed in Basic for the Radio Shack TRS-80 Model 3 with a cassette tape and three floppies. How about 8 in. floppies and Assembler. Uuugggghhhhhh...

Older than the dirt I stand on...

At least in the computer world...:p

[WorkFE]

You guys gave me a good idea. For new years I think I'll go dig up my kids Atari out of the attic and my wife and I will enjoy the evening.:laugh:

[PessOptimist]

Punch cards - Ha! Reminds me of a "war story" which I won't post here lest I hijack the thread.

Tom, thanks for all you do and good luck with the new servers.

Based on a recent experience of my own involving moving an application to it's own server, don't be too surprised if the at still runs slow. I did find the other applications running much faster when not competing with the "processor hog".

I don't think I'm telling you anything you don't know, just sending along a little sentiment of support.

Happy New Year

[nasa1974]

Thanks CB! Do you still remember how to use punch cards? My system is a little old. :D

We used punch cards to align the navigation systems on the minuteman missiles.

[KevinD]

We used punch cards to align the navigation systems on the minuteman missiles.

What'd you do? Use them as shims? :laugh:

[phil]

The old IBM 095 punch cards. And printers the size of a Volvo so loud that you had to use ear protection. Does anyone remember magnetic drum storage? The computer areas were all kept at the temperature of my freezer, and the computer rooms were enormous.

[James48843]

My first computer that I actually owned myself:

yo6eZSd8Ozg&NR

[PessOptimist]

Geez I was never debriefed on a lot of things that were done with punch cards controlling whatever. Can we really talk about it?:worried:

Happy 2010 and remember OPSEC even if the info is 40 years old and is on the internet:D

[phil]

Well, if it's on the internet, it must be true.

What if it's not on the internet?


Does it mean it's not true? Or......is it a non-event?

[grandma]

How about a BIG Ha-loooouuu! for Tom - he's been at this tracker maintainance thing all day ! We know he can get it done -, so we probably should let him know we know he can get it done!!
7876

7875 You're our man, Tom !

[WorkFE]

Go Tom he's our man if he can't do it no one can:nuts:

[JTH]

I miss the tracker already. :(

It seems like it was just yesterday I was waiting 10 minutes for it to load, as I'd wait to scroll down to the bottom of the tracker to see who was going to be "yet another" new guy pushing me further down.... :cheesy:

[burrocrat]

I miss the tracker too, although i've got several spreadsheets to play with now and they are returning accurate data. That's good for internal performance but i do like the comparison with others as a motivational factor and the learning to be had by others allocations and decisions making behind it.

I'm glad there is a site like this with dedicated volunteers who contribute their time and expertise for the benefit of all.

[Birchtree]

Keep your keen eye on amoeba - he's going to be a serious threat to JTH this coming year.

[felixthecat]

Wouldn't you need a magnifying glass to see an amoeba? :nuts:

Good luck to all. :)

I'm working to change my Avatar. I guess Christmas is over. I stilll have the Christmas tree up though. I'm thinking about something calm before a storm.

[tsptalk]

Go Tom he's our man if he can't do it no one can:nuts:
I hope that's not true. I'm ruinning out of patience, need sleep, and am ready to give up. :D

At least for a few hours, anyway.

[WorkFE]

ready to give up.

:worried:

[nnuut]

I hope that's not true. I'm ruinning out of patience, need sleep, and am ready to give up. :D

At least for a few hours, anyway.

Darn, take a break!! You can do it Tom, we all know what a job that can be with a probram like that. How long did it take Ocean to make it, 7 Months?
You are the MAN!!:cool:

[tsptalk]

Update:

I am making progress, but no guarantees. Once you hit a snag with data, you have to go back, restore, and start over.

My attempt to start a new database for 2010 to speed things up, rather than tacking onto the old "big" one, initially failed. I could not get the returns for members who made IFT's to calculate correctly, and for the life of me, I could not see why. I am holding off on moving the database to the new server until I get this fixed.

I am taking a different approach for now but I have to manually enter all of the new 2010 users again, and all members' IFT's since 12/31.

I should know more this afternoon, and if my plan works, it should be up this evening. If it fails, I'll have to start over with another plan of attack.

Keep the IFT's coming via PM. I will get them all input. I am using the PM datestamp as the cut off time. Someone sent me a PM at 6 PM yesterday saying it was entered at 11:45 AM. That's a no, no. :)

[SteveTSP]

Thanks for all of your efforts. Based on this outage, it shows how much members are dependent on this tool and now it's a requirement. For the new members, please have some patience to allow you to start the new year with tracking correctly.
Thanks again, Steve

[tsptalk]

For the new members, please have some patience to allow you to start the new year with tracking correctly.

Yes! We had a similar problem last year, but once we get it going for the new year, it's pretty reliable.

[tsptalk]

It's back!

http://www.tsptalk.com/tracker/tsp-tracker.php

Hey JTH, what are you doing all the way up there? :D

[XL-entLady]

Thanks, Tom, for this and for ALL that you do. We depend on you and this MB for a lot of things, and you both just keep on being gold star quality! :cool::cool:

Lady

[grandma]

Thanks, Tom, for this and for ALL that you do. We depend on you and this MB for a lot of things, and you both just keep on being gold star quality! :cool::cool:
Lady

+1 -
also - I saw an article in today's paper that mention several outfits were having trouble getting their computers to recognize the `10' as last digits - they would revert to 1900! :blink:

[coolhand]

It's back!

http://www.tsptalk.com/tracker/tsp-tracker.php

WOO HOO! :nuts:

[nasa1974]

Tom,

Playing around with my simple spreadsheet drives me crazy. I can only imagine your frustration with the tracker. Saying THANK YOU doesn't feel like it is enough for everything you are doing.